English KS1 / KS2: The Wind in the Willows' by Kenneth Grahame

Hollyoaks star Kieron Richardson explains why The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame is his favourite children’s book.

He talks about the lovable characters of Mole, Ratty, Badger and Toad, and the way the story transports him to the countryside, which can be both beautiful and dangerous.

Animation helps him bring the story to life, and he reads an extract of when Mole is alone and scared in the Wild Wood.

Kieron believes you can travel anywhere in the world, and learn about all sorts of complex emotions, just by reading a book.

This clip is from the series Bringing Books to Life.

Teacher Notes

This would be a good way to introduce characterisation.

Listen to the extract about Mole. Ask the class to think about how the descriptions makes them feel about the character. "Would you like them? Why? Why not? How is the character feeling? What does the action tell you about what the character is like?"

Pupils could think about the way the character is portrayed in the dialogue and then write how the techniques used make them feel as a reader, justifying their views.

It can be used to highlight the huge range of reading experiences available to young people and to explore how students imagine and interpret the books they have read.

Curriculum Notes

These clips are suitable for teaching English and Literacy at Key Stage 1, 1st Level, Key Stage 2 and 2nd Level.